Front extension - do I need planning permission?

mystic_trev

I've had a look on the Internet, and am still confused!

I moved home at the beginning of the year, to a House with an integral garage. I want to knock through to the back of it to create a downstairs Loo, which would mean losing about 40ins of the back of the garage. I'd like to extend the garage (and probably the porch) by the same amount forward, would I need planning permission?

Running_Horse

What did the council planning department say when you phoned them?

CloudCuckooLand

Have you seen?;
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/hhg/houseguide.html
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/buildingwork/projects/workcommonextensionreal/

May depend on the position of garage relative to the front of the house;

"No extension forward of the principal elevation or side elevation fronting a highway."


If in doubt seek local Planning department advice. They are usually pretty good at giving an indication. Even if not essential getting planning anyway might save any awkward discussions with buyers, if you ever decide to sell.

mystic_trev

CloudCuckooLand wrote: »

If in doubt seek local Planning department advice. They are usually pretty good at giving an indication. Even if not essential getting planning anyway might save any awkward discussions with buyers, if you ever decide to sell.

Thanks for that. I tried calling them a few days ago, and when I eventually did get through I ended up talking to someone who didn't seem to have a clue! I'll give them another call.

poppysarah

You'd need building regs approval.

planning_officer

It's an easy question to answer - if the house faces a road, then yes - it needs planning permission.

Some councils will not answer your questions informally about whether you need planning permission or not - instead, they will ask you to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate, which gives a formal decision about whether something needs planning permission. If it turns out that it does, you've wasted £75 and 8 weeks, just to be told that you need permission, and then obviously you need to apply for planning permission (£150 plus another 8 weeks)! So, if it does face a road, then you're better off just putting a planning application in for it to start with (unless of course your Council is happy to give you an informal answer as to whether it's necessary).

mystic_trev

Thanks Planning_officer, that's saved me £75! Also explains why the Planning dept were so evasive when I called!

planning_officer

Mmm you only have two posts and they both plug this 'dino' site. Also, in both instances I've given a definitive answer and you've then told people to go and search on dino!?

I've just looked at this dino site and whilst there is some correct info on there. there is also some fundamentally incorrect advice. For instance, it states that planning permission is not needed if several citeria are complied with, including this one: 'Maximum depth for a single-storey extension is of three metres for an attached house and four metres for a detached house.' This is wrong and highly misleading. This depth only applies beyond the original rear wall of the dwelling, so if I already had a 4m deep rear extension, I would need planning permission for any size of rear conservatory as it would project more than 4m beyond the original rear wall.

I've also just searched for the 6 most recently asked questions on dino - and guess what, all the 'answers' are wrong!! I wouldn't trust this dino site at all.

I guarantee my response on this site to both queries it is a better response than the poster will find on dino, as I do this for a living and am a professional planning officer. Perhaps you could have a look at the quality of responses given to a question before just telling someone to visit another (very 'iffy') site?

planning_officer

Just in case anyone wonders - my post immediately above was directed at someone who's post has since mysteriously disappeared ... obviously a spammer! (it wasn't directed at Trev)

timmyt

mystic_trev wrote: »

I've had a look on the Internet, and am still confused!

I moved home at the beginning of the year, to a House with an integral garage. I want to knock through to the back of it to create a downstairs Loo, which would mean losing about 40ins of the back of the garage. I'd like to extend the garage (and probably the porch) by the same amount forward, would I need planning permission?

ask the planning and building control teams at the council. annd what does the original planning consent say for the property...is there a condition stating the garage must be used as such (people overlook this all the time)

but also check your deeds to make sure there are no covenants against this sort of work - your conveyancer will have sent you a nice bound report stating what the covenants say...unless you went cheap on your conveyancer

BobQ

You have got some good advice from Planning Officer. Another aspect of what you plan that may require approval of some kind could be the drains. You talk of installing a WC, so unless the down pipe from the upstairs bathroom passes close to the back of the garage you might have some issues there.